How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lake Saint Louis MO

How to Pick an Esthetics College near Lake Saint Louis Missouri

Lake Saint Louis MO esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lake Saint Louis MO, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lake Saint Louis home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lake Saint Louis MO Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Lake Saint Louis MO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Lake Saint Louis MO esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues available to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Lake Saint Louis MO business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Lake Saint Louis MO Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Lake Saint Louis MO students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Programs

Lake Saint Louis MO models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lake Saint Louis home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 63367 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Lake Saint Louis MO businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lake Saint Louis MO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Missouri school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Lake Saint Louis MO beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he gets aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Lake Saint Louis MO businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lake Saint Louis MO?

Perhaps you live in the Lake Saint Louis Missouri area, or have found a school that you will commute to or even relocate to attend. Either way, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new esthetician program.

Lake Saint-Louis

Lake St. Louis is a widening of the St. Lawrence River in the Hochelaga Archipelago it is also fed by the Ottawa River via the lock in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, the Beauharnois Canal, the Soulanges Canal, the St. Louis River, and the Châteauguay River.

The lake is bounded to the north and east by the Island of Montreal, by Beauharnois-Salaberry, Roussillon, and Vaudreuil-Soulanges. The town of Beauharnois with its power-dam and canal lie to the south.

The West Island shore is mostly built-up with private houses, but includes some parks and clubs such as the Pointe-Claire Canoe Club, and the Pointe-Claire Yacht Club. Islands in the lake include Dorval and Dowker Islands. Lake St. Louis is the second of three fluvial lakes on the St. Lawrence River. Upstream of it is Lake St. Francis, and downstream is Lake Saint Pierre. Its average flow is 8,400 cubic metres per second (300,000 cu ft/s).[1]

Select the Right Esthetician Training Program near Lake Saint Louis MO

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Lake Saint Louis MO.